Hours:3Introduction to two major components of the study of Judaism: the stories of the ancient Israelites that come to us in the form of the Hebrew Bible/Christian Old Testament, and the complex world of modern Judaism. The world of ancient Near Eastern literature will form the background of a discussion about the origins and development of early Jewish monotheism. The question of the “historicity” of Israel will also be considered as we study historical-critical methods for understanding ancient texts. Contemporary issues in the land of Israel-Palestine will be discussed and a visit to Temple Israel will be scheduled.Notes: Cross-listed with RELG 2300.